Apple's education event just ended, and just as Ars Technica said, Apple announced better support for textbooks, as well as a textbook authoring tool. The textbook authoring tool is heavily inspired by Keynote and Pages, and hence, I already know it's going to be top-notch and very pleasant to use. In addition, the company also repositioned iTunes U as a Blackboard competitor. As great as all these new tools are, several large red flags went up in my mind: I remember what it was like being the only student who didn't use Windows. Update: "Any e-textbook author that wants access to the iPad-toting masses must make his or her work an exclusive to iBooks 2."

"Exactly - because we all know that neither Microsoft or Google could not come close to the elegance that Apple will bring to this - and it's the elegance that will be transforming.

Not sure if trolling... "

No I am not trolling. We all know that if either Microsoft or Google had tried to do this it would have produced inferior digital textbooks. Microsoft's version would have been ugly and clunky and Google's would be covered in ads. Its the elegance of the whole system from Apple, and not least the elegance of the end product, that is radical and transforming about this initiative

No I am not trolling. We all know that if either Microsoft or Google had tried to do this it would have produced inferior digital textbooks. Microsoft's version would have been ugly and clunky and Google's would be covered in ads. Its the elegance of the whole system from Apple, and not least the elegance of the end product, that is radical and transforming about this initiative

So what you are saying is, it's ok for Apple to turn the education system into its personal money cow, as long as they make it look pretty?

No I am not trolling. We all know that if either Microsoft or Google had tried to do this it would have produced inferior digital textbooks. Microsoft's version would have been ugly and clunky and Google's would be covered in ads. Its the elegance of the whole system from Apple, and not least the elegance of the end product, that is radical and transforming about this initiative

...and all this is because Apple sell, make money, from hardware which is best, natural way.

like Alan Kay say many years ago: "People who are really serious about software should make their own hardware."

Microsoft and Google business model does not have pre requirements to "make MAGIC products" in basic! Apple does.